One little boy, when asked to explain about Father’s Day, said, “It’s just like Mother’s Day, only you don’t spend as much on the present.” That’s a joke, of course, but really, Father’s Day is not as big as Mother’s Day.
On Mother’s Day there is a higher attendance at church, mothers often have corsages, emotions run high, & people gather at Mom’s house – all to pay honor to the hands that rock the cradle. But on Father’s Day the church is not as full, emotions are not as high, & businesses do not profit as much - all except for the telephone companies, of course. You see, they report that Mother’s Day is the busiest telephone day of the year. But Father’s Day is a big money-maker for them, because there are more collect calls on Father’s Day than on any other day of the year.
Read these passages, soak it up, and ask "Have I been honoring my father and mother?" "How do I honor them? (notice it doesn't say if they deserve or are worthy of your honor and there doesn't seem to be any statute of limitations).
Matthew 15 1-11 - Then some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked, "Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don't wash their hands before they eat!"
Jesus replied, "And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? For God said, 'Honor your father and mother' and 'Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.' But you say that if a man says to his father or mother, 'Whatever help you might otherwise have received from me is a gift devoted to God,' he is not to 'honor his father' with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition. You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: " 'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.'"
Jesus called the crowd to him and said, "Listen and understand. What goes into a man's mouth does not make him 'unclean,' but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him 'unclean.' "
Ephesians 6:1-4 - Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. "Honor your father and mother"—which is the first commandment with a promise— "that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth." Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.
So, how do you honor your father and mother?
